Night of the Panther
by AmethystWren
Summary: One stormy day a woman turns up at the Xiaolin temple. She is quite quiet, and doesn't seem to want to stay. At the same time, something mysterious has been going on at night which the monks can't quite seem to grasp.
1. Chapter 1

**An idea I've had building up for a while. I have no idea how many chapters long it's going to be. I've written the first 10 (Chase is only really a breif cameo until about chapter 8) and it still doesn't feel anywhere near done. I don't want to rush things too much.**

**Some things in this are supposed to be slightly confusing at first; they'll make more sense as the story goes on.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Xiaolin Showdown. Calli, however, is mine.**

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><p><span>Chapter One<span>

Rain was pouring.

"It hasn't rained like this for many years." Master Fung had said, and this was true. It rarely rained so hard.

The drops were thick and heavy, and hit the ground so hard that they'd often throw up water and stones with the impact. The smaller drops bounced a little way before finally landing on the ground.

The dragons, thankfully, had trained that morning. It wasn't so heavy then, though still too wet for comfort.

They'd come in that afternoon, their daily free time, and changed out of their soaking wet robes. Clay was wearing his usual cowboy attire, Omi a spare set of robes, Raimundo wore a casual t-shirt and jeans, and Kimiko wore a jean skirt and long-sleeved light blue shirt.

The three boys sat around a table, warm cups of hot chocolate cupped between their hands. Dojo had made started making them, but the monks had taken over fearing he would mess up.

Kimiko's cup of hot chocolate still sat steaming away on the table. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor nearby, drying her hair with her hairdryer.

"I've never seen rain so heavy!" Rai commented.

"It's louder than an explosion in a chicken farm!" Clay added.

"Maybe you are just failing to cope with the weather because it is not your element." Omi said. "I am sure a little rain cannot hurt a brave warrior such as myself."

"Why don't you go test that theory, Chrome dome?" Raimundo suggested, an evil smirk on his face. Clay noticed the smirk from across the table, and gave Raimundo a warning look. Omi, however, did not pick up on Raimundo's expression and stood up from the table.

"What a wondrous idea! I thank you, Raimundo!" And with that, Omi left the room.

"Rai, that was lower than a cow's udder at milkin' time." Clay complained.

"A cow's udder?" Raimundo repeated, evidently not too pleased with the comparison.

"In my opinion," Kimiko spoke up, still drying her hair in the corner of the room. "A cow's udder wasn't low enough! Try, a... Stone or something."

"Nah, it just doesn't work so well." Clay told her. Kimiko shrugged and continued to dry her long, blue-black hair.

Omi came running in a few minutes later. He was soaked to the bone, teeth chattering.

"Are you alright, partner?" Clay asked him.

"DO I LOOK ALRIGHT!" Omi yelled at him.

Kimiko flicked her hairdryer off and ran off to get Omi a towel. She came back and handed it to him. He looked at her gratefully and wrapped it round his shoulders, before taking his seat at the table once again and having a sip of his hot chocolate.

Kimiko put her hairdryer away in her cubicle (room doesn't really fit) and sat down at the table as well, putting her hands around the cup to warm them a little before taking a sip herself.

"Are you okay, Omi?" Kimiko asked, concerned.

"Much better, thank you." Omi assured her.

"You look warmer." Clay told him. "When you came in, your teeth were chattering like a..." Omi glared at him, warning him of the fact that he was not in the mood for one of Clay's metaphors, and so Clay just sipped a bit more of his hot chocolate.

The four Xiaolin dragons continued to talk long after they'd finished their drinks. There wasn't much else to do. Usually they would train, or play games outside, or just sit having quiet time beneath the cherry tree. However, today they could not as the rain was so bad, and so they sat inside.

They'd been sitting chatting for who knows how long when Master Fung came in.

"Were we expecting visitors?" He asked the dragons. They four teens looked at each other before looking back to Master Fung and shaking their heads.

"Why?" Kimiko asked.

"Dojo believes he has spotted someone standing by the entrance." He explained.

"Why can't they just come in?" Raimundo asked.

"Perhaps it is respect for us." Master Fung suggested. "I do not know. One of you, however, will have to greet them."

"Master Fung," Omi said, wrapping his towel tighter around himself. "I have already been outside today." He glared at Raimundo.

"As Shoku warrior, you should learn not to play pranks on fellow dragons, Raimundo." Master Fung warned.

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Raimundo said absentmindedly.

"Perhaps a walk in the rain in order to greet our visitor will help to indent this rule further into your brain." Master Fung suggested.

"Aw, Master Fung!" Raimundo began to protest, but the master put a hand up, asking for silence.

Knowing he had no choice, Raimundo got up from the table to get his coat from his cubicle. Once he had it zipped up to his chin, he went outside.

He made his way across the courtyard, grumbling to himself about the unfairness of him being sent out to do this. However, he stopped once he reached the visitor. This was partly so that she didn't get the impression that the current Shoku warrior was a moody, grouchy kid, but mostly because he was shocked at what he found.

She looked a little older than him, probably early twenties, and had long black hair. It was a very different shade of black to Kimiko's, one that looked so dark in colour that it seemed to suck light into it. Her hair was plastered to her face, neck and arms, it was so wet. She was wearing a dark blue-black dress which reached her ankles, no shoes. The dress's sleeves appeared to be made of some sort of netting. Her eyes were a piercing green colour.

"Do you want to come in?" Raimundo asked her.

"Am I allowed?" She asked.

"Of course! We're the good guys, we'll let you in. Unless you're a bad guy. You're not a bad guy, are you?"

The woman looked like she wanted to laugh at that, but instead just smiled a little.

"That depends on who you ask." She told him. "I mean you no harm, if that's what you meant. I just wish to stay until the rain clears, then I will be on my way."

Rai led her into the temple. He was expecting her to be running to catch up- it was a pretty easy place to get lost in if you didn't know where you were going. However, she seemed to know the place like the back of her hand, and was looking around as if in a dream.

He took her to the room where Kimiko, Clay and Omi still sat awaiting his return.

"You look wetter than my mummy's kitten in a thunderstorm!" Clay told her. She pulled out a chair and sat down, Rai sitting back in his own chair after hanging his coat back up in his cubicle.

"Do you want to use my hairdryer?" Kimiko asked the woman. She shook her head.

"I'll be fine without it."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, no-one sure of what to say.

"Um," Raimundo said, trying to break the awkward silence. He decided to do introductions. "I'm Raimundo, he's Omi." He pointed.

"Pleased to meet you, even if you are just a girl." Omi said brightly. Kimiko glared a little, and the woman folded her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"That's Clay," Raimundo continued, pointing to the cowboy.

"Pleased to meet you!" Clay said politely, tipping his hat.

"And she's Kimiko." Rai finished.

"Hello," Kimiko said, waving.

"My name is Callista." The woman introduced herself. "And I promise I won't stay long."

"Relax!" Raimundo told her. "Stay as long as you need to!"

"Honestly, I'd be such a burden!" Callista continued.

"You wouldn't!" Clay assured her.

"Even if you are a woman." Omi added, at which Kimiko elbowed him from her chair to his right.

"A week at the most," Callista decided upon. "Then I really must go."

"What's the hurry?" Kimiko asked her.

"There are some things I'd prefer you not to know." Callista insisted, and left it at that.

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><p><strong>I'm not too good with Clay's metaphors (at least in my opinion) but hopefully its okay aside from that. And it gets more interesting...<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Kids," Dojo said, sliding into the room in which our dragons and Callista still sat around the table. "There's a shen gong wu activated at..." He stopped talking once he spotted Callista.

"Do I know you?" He asked her.

"Possibly." Callista replied. In truth, yes he did, but Callista didn't want him to know who she was. At least, not just yet.

"Anyway," Dojo continued after shaking his head, dismissing from his mind the thought that this woman was familiar. "The wu is called the Poison Scorpion, it sends a cloud of purple poison out that temporarily blinds your enemies once its cleared."

"I have always wanted to do that!" Omi said excitedly.

Dojo made his way outside where he turned into his large form. Omi rushed on, followed by Raimundo and Clay.

"Are you coming?" Kimiko asked Callista.

"Me?" Callista asked, shocked.

"You're the only other person in the room." Kimiko pointed out.

"If you're sure it's not a trouble." Callista said.

"Please!" Kimiko said. "It'll be nice to have another girl with us!"

The two girls ran outside and hopped on Dojo, and he took off.

They landed on a beach and began looking for the shen gong wu.

"What does it look like, Dojo?" Kimiko asked.

"There's a clue in the name." Dojo told her, back in his small form and sunbathing whilst the others searched. "Poison SCORPION!"

"Found it!" Raimundo said, holding a black, scorpion-like shen gong wu up in the air.

"Thank you!" Jack Spicer said, one of his robots snatching it from Rai's hands.

"Hey!" Raimundo complained.

"You no good snake, Spicer!" Clay shouted.

"Goodbye, Xiaolin losers!" Jack shouted.

"Arrow Sparrow, fire!" Kimiko yelled, using her element and her shen gong wu to throw flaming sparrows at Jack. He narrowly missed them.

"Water!" Omi lifted the sea up, engulfing the jack bots accompanying Spicer and ruining their circuits, killing them.

"Hey!" Jack complained.

"Maybe you should come down and fight." Raimundo suggested. "Unless you're too much of a scaredy-cat."

"I am not a scaredy-cat!" Jack insisted, landing on the sand...

"Seismic kick, earth!"

Only to find himself falling over, dropping the Poison Scorpion as he fell.

"Thank you!" Kimiko said, picking the Poison Scorpion up from where it had fallen on the ground.

They arrived back at the Temple to find it was still raining, but not quite so hard.

"I should go..." Callista began.

"It's getting late," Kimiko told her. "Maybe you should stay the night."

"I'm not sure I should." Callista began. "I mean, I don't want to be a burden and..."

"It's cool." Rai insisted. "It's not like you're gonna go all crazy and steal all the wu, is it?"

"No," Callista said, before adding quietly. "I hope."

"What was that?" He asked.

"Nothing." Callista said quickly. "I just honestly think I should..."

"Stay?" Raimundo finished. "Great!"

"No, I..."

"Don't worry, partner." Clay said, patting her on the back as if she was an old friend. "It's not like we bite on anythin'."

"You can sleep in the dining room." Dojo suggested. "The corner there is surprisingly comfy."

"And we have spare blankets!" Omi added.

Chase Young stood on a nearby cliff top watching the monks, their dragon and their guest going back into their temple.

"Interesting." He said quietly to himself.

"What's interesting?" Wuya asked him, standing by his side. "Omi? Is it Omi again? What's so interesting about Omi?"

"Not Omi." Chase told her. "Their guest."

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><p><strong>There's Chase's cameo, he'll be back around chapter 8 I believe, when he'll be in it properly... The next one is, I think, set at night and it's where things get interesting...<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Like I said, this is where things get interesting...**

Chapter Three

Kimiko awoke early the next morning. She would usually, having woken up at half five, gone back to sleep again for a while until she had to get up. However, she couldn't. It was one of those mornings where no matter what she tried; counting sheep, closing her eyes, sticking her head under the pillow, nothing worked.

She got dressed into her robes, which had dried since yesterdays rain storm, and tied her hair up in her usual bunches before going outside.

The floor was still wet, puddles still scattered across it, and the dark clouds still lingered in the sky. However, no new rain was falling.

Kimiko didn't quite know where she was walking, except that it was in the temple grounds and outside. She found her feet taking her towards the shen gong wu vault, but didn't resist. She always found walks better if you just followed your feet.

When she reached the vault, she stopped. She leant her back against the door, a little annoyed that the dark clouds hid the sunrise, but knowing she couldn't do a thing. It would've been nice to watch, and would have given her something slightly more interesting to do, but she wasn't going to complain. Instead, he gaze flitted to the floor. She'd expected to see the usual stony floor, not big cat tracks. However, big cat tracks is what she found.

The tracks led up to the vault, but stopped at the door and turned back round. For lack of something better to do, Kimiko decided to follow the tracks.

She'd followed them to the cherry tree when something jumped out in front of her. She leapt back, screaming, before hearing a familiar laugh.

"Rai!" She complained. "That was not funny!"

"Yeah it was!" Raimundo said, still laughing.

"What are you doing up so early anyway?" She asked.

"Couldn't sleep. You?"

"Same."

They stood in silence for a minute or so, unsure of what to say, before Kimiko remembered what she had been doing before she was jumped on by the Shoku warrior.

"Do you know what these tracks are?" She asked him, gesturing to the ground. "I was following them when you leapt out of a tree at me."

Raimundo stifled another one of his laughs at the memory of her face when he'd landed in front of her, and knelt down on the floor to get a better look at the tracks.

"These look like big cat tracks." He told her.

"That's what I thought." Kimiko agreed. "But there are lots of types of big cats, aren't there?"

"Loads." Raimundo confirmed. He stood up and looked at her, any trace of giggles he previously had gone for the moment. "Do you think it's Chase?"

"He's the only guy with big cats I can think of." Kimiko said.

Raimundo and Kimiko followed the tracks to the entrance to the temple, down the steps and found they lead to the forest. Human tracks lead out of the forest. However, the human footprints were faint, and they finished before they'd gone very far.

They got back and decided, it being almost their usual wake up time, to go get a head start on breakfast before the others woke up.

That morning, Omi awoke a little early. He toppled over from his upside down position and quickly got up.

He stood outside the curtain to Raimundo's cubicle. Raimundo had begun to make a habit of sleeping in, and Omi had made a habit of being his alarm clock.

"Raimundo?" He called. "It is time to awaken!"

Of course, there was no reply. Raimundo was already at breakfast.

"Do not force me to us my orb of tornami on you, Raimundo." Omi persisted. Still no reply.

Omi ripped open Rai's curtain, holding the orb of Tornami in his hand and leaping in the air a little.

"Ah ha! You were no match for my... Raimundo? Where are you?"

Omi noticed Raimundo's blanket on the floor contained no Raimundo, and began scrabbling about in it, looking for his Brazilian friend.

"What's up, Partner?" He heard Clay ask. Clay stood in the doorway to Rai's cubicle.

"It is Raimundo!" Omi said, obviously worried. "He is gone!"

Clay chuckled a little.

"He's not gone, little fella'!" Clay told Omi. "He's at breakfast already!"

"Already? But Raimundo is far too slow and sleepy to be awake before me!"

"It's just one of those days."

They got into the dining room to find Raimundo and Kimiko already eating at the table.

"Hey," Clay said, causing them both to look up from their breakfast and face him. "Where's Callista?"

"I don't know!" Kimiko admitted, a little concerned. "She wasn't here when we got here."

"Maybe she went for a walk or something." Raimundo suggested.

Clay and Omi decided it was best to just assume so for the minute. There was important business to do i.e. Breakfast, and the dragons were sure Callista couldn't have gotten far. She could wait until breakfast was over.

Callista came in whilst the dragons ate breakfast. She didn't look too good. She had rips all over her dress. The bottom of her dress, which previously reached her ankles, had been ripped off so that it now hung just above her knees. Her left sleeve lay in tatters, her right had been ripped clean off. On top of that, her arms and legs were covered in scratches and her hair was tangled and matted.

"Woah!" Raimundo said, shocked at her condition.

"You don't look too good, Callista." Kimiko told her.

"You look worse than my Aunt Bessie after a mud bath in the pig sty!" Clay commented.

"You're Aunt Bessie did _what_?" Raimundo asked. Everyone else, however, was more concerned about Callista and her current condition.

"I'm fine." Callista assured them. "Really, I'm fine. I walked through a thorn bush on my morning walk." _And bumped into a few tigers_ she thought, but she didn't say that.

"You should get some breakfast in ya." Clay suggested to her. "My mummy always said that food always helps when you're down in the dog doo."

"Bad saying, Clay." Raimundo said warningly.

Callista, however, had already gotten herself a hunk of raw meat and sat at the table. Trying to keep her manners, she was using a plate and a knife and fork, but she was ripping the meat off the fork with her teeth like a carnivore.

"Aren't you going to cook that?" Kimiko asked her.

"Hm?" Callista asked, looking up. "Oh! No, no. It's okay. Really it is! I'm used to eating raw meat!"

"What kind of place did you used to live, girl?" Raimundo asked her. Callista didn't answer, just continued to eat her raw meat like some sort of wild, though polite, meat-eating animal.


	4. Chapter 4

**This one was originally two short chapters, but I figured they fit together pretty well soI smashed them together.**

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><p><span>Chapter Four<span>

The Xiaolin dragons trained out in the courtyard after breakfast, just as they did every morning. Callista sat underneath the cherry tree, watching carefully. _I may as well see what the Xiaolin dragons are like these days_ She thought.

She watched as the four dragons tried their tasks for today; hit the target using your element and one shen gong wu. Clay had already done so, and was watching from the side.

"Star hannabi, fire!" Kimiko yelled. The target was engulfed in flames, but hit relatively near the bull's-eye. Kimiko took the star hannabi to the side with Clay and watched as Omi took his turn.

The target was now only smoking a little, Master Fung having made sure it was fire proof, very heavy and near to indestructible before they began training.

"Orb of Tornami, water!" Omi shouted. A jet of water shot from the orb and hit the bull's-eye directly, taking any previous signs of Kimiko's fire, such as the smoke, away.

Omi joined Clay and Kimiko whilst Raimundo stepped up.

"This is how a Shoku warrior does it!" He said proudly. "Sword of the Storm, wind!"

The target fell over backwards.

Now, being a heavy target, Raimundo had trouble lifting it up off the ground and back to being upright again.

"A little help would be nice, guys." He told the others. Kimiko, Omi and Clay all tried to help their team mate with lifting the target, but not even then could they do it.

"That's one mighty heavy piece of work!" Clay said.

"Yes," Omi agreed. "Usually Clay can lift such things with ease."

Callista got up from her place under the cherry tree and made her way over. She inspected the fallen target, which appeared to be made of some form of heavy stone.

"It's heavier than my papa after a five course buffet!" Clay told her.

"There's no way you'll be able to lift it." Raimundo warned her.

Sure enough, Callista tried to lift it and couldn't.

"See?" Raimundo said. "I told you!"

"Maybe we should just explain to Master Fung..." Kimiko suggested.

"Oh, I'm not finished yet." Callista said. "Terra roll, earth!" She shouted whilst jumping in the air and doing a flip before landing on the ground in a crouch position, one leg stretched behind her and one hand flat on the ground.

When she landed, the ground seemed to ripple like the ocean, and one wave of ground pushed the target upright. Once that happened, Callista lifted a hand and the ground went back to being still and flat.

She looked at the four teens, who were looking at her with a mixture of fascination and confusion on their faces.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Clay asked her.

"Indeed." Omi said. "That was a most powerful move, particularly for a woman." Kimiko elbowed him.

Before Callista could explain, Dojo came out with news of a new shen gong wu. Raimundo, Kimiko and Omi quickly ran to either their rooms to get changed or the vault to grab some wu. Clay gave Callista one quick glance before running off to do the same.

"Where do I know you from?" Dojo asked her once they were alone.

"You'll remember soon, Dojo." Callista said quietly. "And I'm afraid that's when everything is going to change."

* * *

><p>"What wu is it, Dojo?" Kimiko asked as the dragon flew them toward their next shen gong wu's destination- Paris, France.<p>

"Orion's Bolt," Dojo read from the scroll, looking up every so often to make sure he didn't crash. "It lets you fire pure energy at your enemies."

They arrived to find a certain 'evil genius' had beaten them there. However, Jack Spicer hadn't actually found the shen gong wu yet and was looking through the park Dojo had taken them to.

"Are you going to set your lame robots on us, Jack?" Kimiko asked.

"No, actually." Jack admitted. "I'm still having my lame robots fixed after you beat... I mean, no not today."

Jack continued searching for Orion's Bolt, and the monks, along with Dojo and Callista, searched too. The young woman, still wearing her tattered and torn black dress, found the shen gong wu at the exact same time as Jack Spicer did.

Orion's Bolt began to glow and Callista looked down at it before looking back up at the red-haired boy who's hand also lay on the wu.

"I haven't had a showdown for a long time." She told him, and hint of a smile on her face.

"You've... Had a showdown before?" Jack asked, confused. Callista nodded. Jack just shrugged. _Hopefully she's rusty if it's been a while_ he thought.

"I, Jack Spicer, challenge you, uh... What's your name?" Jack asked.

"Callista."

"You, Callista, to a Xiaolin Showdown. My monkey staff against your..."

Callista lifted her wrist so Jack could clearly see the bracelet on it. It was made up of silvery white beads and had a lightning bolt-shaped charm hanging off of the centre.

"Chain of the Thunderstorm." She finished for him.

"How did you get that?" Dojo asked. "It hasn't gone active yet!"

"Let's just say I've had it for a while." She told him before looking back to Jack.

"The game is chase," Jack explained. "Whoever catches Orion's Bolt first wins."

Then, both together, Jack Spicer and Callista yelled

"Let's go- Xiaolin Showdown!"

The shen gong wu lifted into the air and zoomed off around the park.

"Gong yi tem pai!" They both shouted.

"Monkey staff!" Jack activated his shen gong wu and ran off after Orion's Bolt.

Callista yawned sleepily and began to run around the track lazily, ignoring the shouts of

"Go! Run!" and "Go faster, girl!" Coming from the side lines. She had it all under control.

Jack caught up with the wu, and was about to grab it when he heard Callista shout

"Chain of the Thunderstorm!" from behind him. He stopped, curious to see what this shen gon wu did.

The blue sky filled with big, dark clouds. Thunder clapped overhead. Jack screamed and that, the one moment he stopped, was enough for Callista to sprint past him and grab Orion's Bolt.

Jack looked up to see the skies clear and Callista holding the wu.

"How did you...?" He began to ask, to which she replied

"Let's just say I'm good." Before heading back towards the cheering Xiaolin dragons and Dojo.

"That was great!" Kimiko told her.

"Where did a lady like yourself learn how to do that?" Clay asked.

"And where did you learn the Earth move you performed in training earlier?" Omi asked excitedly.

"I learnt with some of the best." Callista explained, smiling a little at the memory before snapping herself back to reality. _He _was dead, _he_ never liked her and _he_, well, she hadn't seen the last one for years.

"Today, I am the best at Xiaolin Showdowns!" Omi declared. "Who was your teacher?"

Callista decided not to tell him, it would just confuse him most likely. Instead she decided to ask him a question of her own.

"Are you related to Dashi?"

"Grand Master Dashi?" Omi asked, awestruck. "I do not know who I am related to." He added sadly.

"You look a lot like him," Callista said, she smiled a little before adding "You act like him too."

All five of them clambered back on to Dojo, each wondering the same sort of things; How did she already know how to do a Xiaolin Showdown? How did she already have the Chain of the Thunderstorm? How did she know an earth move? And who had taught her?

But whenever they asked, she refused to answer.

* * *

><p><strong>Anybody figured out Callista's secret yet? Or part of it?<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Short chapter- sorry!**

Chapter Five

They got back late once again.

"I should go." Callista said once they'd got off of Dojo and he'd shrunken back down to 'gecko size'. "I mean, I've stayed one night already and..."

"Where are you planning on sleeping?" Raimundo asked. "It's not as if there's a five star hotel nearby. Or even a two star hotel. There's nothing!"

"I can find somewhere." Callista assured them. She looked scared, almost as if she was afraid of staying any longer. "I mean, I've always been great at camping and..."

"Why don't you just spend one more night here, in the same place as last night?" Kimiko suggested. "You can go tomorrow if you want to."

After lots of arguing, Callista lost again and agreed to stay the night.

The moment she was sure the monks were asleep, and just as the sun was finishing its descent below the horizon, she ran. She wasn't sure where to, she wasn't sure of the time, she just knew that the sky was a deep orange and soon to be dark blue. So she ran.

Omi awoke earlier than he normally did and, just as Kimiko had the day before, decided to go for a walk around the temple grounds. He also, just as she had, found his feet taking him towards the vault. He saw tracks, just as she had, and looked up from the ground.

He found the creature that had made them.

In the darkness, he could only just make the creature out. It was some sort of big cat, with fur darker than the night sky and eyes as green as emeralds. Omi felt as if he'd seen the creature somewhere before, but didn't know where.

The creature could feel Omi's gaze on it, and so turned to face him. Its eyes went dark with the fear at being caught, and the creature hung its head in shame.

"It is o and k." Omi assured the creature. "I do not wish to harm you." Yet every step he took towards the creature, the creature took a step back.

He kept his gaze on the cat's eyes all the time, hoping it would calm it. Eventually, after he'd stepped towards it and it had stepped away multiple times, the cat broke into a run.

Omi ran after it, but stopped when it ran into the forest. He daren't go in there. It was hard enough to navigate in the day time, and obviously it would be far harder by darkness.

Omi headed back to the temple, realising it was time the other monks were up and thinking gleefully about how fun it would be to awaken Raimundo with the Orb of Tornami.

Just as she had the morning before, Callista entered to find Clay, Raimundo, Kimiko and Omi already eating breakfast. Raimundo was still wet where Omi had soaked him in order to get him out of bed.

"You look worse than yesterday morning!" Kimiko told Callista, pulling out the spare chair beside her and allowing the raggedy-looking woman to sit down. "What happened?"

Callista had twigs in her knotted black hair, bags under her bright green eyes, and a few more scratches, now one on her cheek too.

"I went for a night time walk." She said. It wasn't exactly a lie, just not the whole truth.

"Did the big black cat get you?" Omi asked her. He'd already explained his night to the other three Xiaolin dragons.

Callista shook her head and sat down.

She looked across the table at Omi, watched the young monk eating his breakfast. _So much like Dashi_ she thought _But Dashi would have this figured out by now..._


	6. Chapter 6

**I've squished two short chapters into one big one again. Bits of this one most likely will be kinda confusing at this point. Bits should make some of the parts before this make more sense, things like (maybe) who the three _he's _she mentioned; the one who died, the one who never liked her and the one she hasn't seen in a long while. That should make a little more sense.**

Chapter Six

After she'd eaten, something Clay insisted she do, Callista got up and began to leave.

"And just where do you think you're you going?" Master Fung asked, stepping into the room and blocking her exit through the door.

"Away." Callista said. "Before I do something I'll regret."

"Such as?" Master Fung pressed.

"It doesn't matter!" Callista insisted. "Let me go!"

Sighing, but knowing it was best to let the angry woman through, Master Fung stepped aside and let Callista pass. She thanked him and left the room, left the temple.

"Who was she?" Raimundo asked.

"She was more mysterious than a fog in the morning." Clay added.

Master Fung shook his head. He didn't know any more than they did.

Callista, meanwhile, was not entering the woods. She only needed their cover by night, and so was walking along the pathways.

She hadn't got the faintest idea where she was going, she just knew that she should reach somewhere familiar eventually. Sure enough, she soon reached a village she recognised.

"Dashi's old place," She said quietly and thoughtfully to herself.

She wandered the streets, looking around and marvelling at the fact that it hadn't changed much in the last thousand years or so. Of course, the people she used to know there were now dead, and the buildings that were destroyed in certain... incidents were now built up. The old ones were painted, with a few extra extensions in some places. But there was a sense of familiarity to the area; one Callista hadn't felt in a long time and it comforted her a little, made her feel that little bit safer.

Callista found a familiar-looking farm and walked through the gate, closing it behind her. The sheep came over across the field to inspect this stranger as she walked through their grass to reach the cottage on the other side of the field, but the sheep could do little to stop her.

When she reached the little cottage, she stared at the outside before she knocked. It had a few extensions, and the door had been painted green, the window wasn't smashed and there was an electricity cable and a phone wire joining into the roof. Other than those things, the cottage was the same as she remembered it.

The door was opened shortly after she knocked by a young woman wearing an apron over a pretty blue dress. She had blonde hair in plaits and was holding a wooden spoon. Callista had apparently interrupted her during her cooking.

"Hello," The woman said brightly. "Can I help you?"

Callista smiled. This woman was the spitting image of Sarah, the woman who'd lived here 1000 years ago. She guessed the farm had been kept in the family.

"Actually, I was wondering if you knew where a friend of mine lives." Callista explained. "I haven't seen him for a long time, and this is the only place I recognise around here." _As still being friendly_ she thought silently, but didn't say those last three words.

"Of course, what's your friend's name?" The woman asked.

"Chase Young."

Back at the tower, Dojo had suddenly rushed into the room.

"What is down, Dojo?" Omi asked.

"Up," Raimundo corrected before looking at Dojo. "And yeah, what _is_ up?"

"It's Callista." Dojo said, as if it explained everything.

"What about her?" Rai asked.

"I know where I remember her from!" Dojo said. "She should be dead!"

"What happened?" Kimiko asked.

"She's over 1500 years old!" Dojo explained. "And, on top of that, she had a falling out with a rather moody tree spirit. A very bloodthirsty young thing for a tree spirit actually, I'm surprised she didn't kill little Calli on the spot. I guess she compromised for a curse of some sort..."

"Where's she going, Dojo?" Kimiko asked.

"Perhaps she is trying to seek something familiar." Master Fung suggested. "Something that is still the same after 1500 years. Even the temple has had its adaptations in that time, perhaps she wishes to find something the exact same as she remembers."

"Oh, so that would mean..." Dojo thought brightly. Suddenly, his bright expression was replaced by one of fear. "No!"

"What? What?" Raimundo asked, grabbing Dojo and shaking him.

"Hey, easy!" Dojo told him, and Rai put the dragon down.

"Is she okay?" Kimiko asked.

"Hopefully." Dojo replied, knowing full well where she was planning to go. "Maybe someone should go check."

"Very well." Master Fung agreed. "Off you go, Dojo."

"Of course, Ma... Wait, ME?" Dojo asked.

"Yes, you."

"All alone?" Dojo asked, his bottom lip wobbling a little. Master Fung rolled his eyes a little.

"Raimundo? Can you accompany Dojo?"

"Sure thing." Rai agreed.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Dojo attached himself to Master Fung's leg in a tight hug. Raimundo managed to prise him off and Dojo flew him towards the destination he knew Callista would turn up at eventually. He could only hope that they weren't too late.

* * *

><p>"Chase Young?" The farm girl repeated, shocked but trying not to make it too obvious.<p>

"He's still alive, isn't he?" Callista asked anxiously.

"Yes, very much so." The girl replied, letting Callista relax. At least he was alive still. "I just don't see why anyone would want to pay him a visit."

"Why not?"

"Girl, have you been living in a hole your entire life?" The farm girl asked playfully. "Chase Young is evil!"

_So that hasn't changed_. Callista thought to herself _I don't know what made me think he would._

"I still need to find him." Callista insisted. The woman gave Callista a look as if to say 'you'll regret this', but knew she was beaten.

"Keep going east until you reach a field of black sheep," The woman explained. "Then go north. He lives on this volcanic cliff surrounded by lava; you can't miss it!"

"Alright, thanks!" Callista called out as the woman shut the door. She began to walk east, just as she had been told. Sure enough, in a few hours, she reached a field of black sheep. She figured out which way was north before heading in that direction.

When she reached a lake of lava, a rock that looked rather like a face in its centre, she knew she'd found the right place. Now she just needed to find a way to get across it.

"Dojo, that looks like Chase's place." Raimundo said, looking over the dragon's back as they came in to land by the door to Chase Young's lair.

"That's because it is." Dojo pointed out.

"I thought we were looking for Callista!"

"Callista is going to come here!" Dojo assured him. "Look, there she is now."

Callista noticed the green dragon and the Brazilian dragon of the wind across the lava, and waved. Dojo deposited Raimundo outside Chase's door and flew across the lava to greet Callista.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her sternly. "What would Dashi say?"

"Dashi would be with me." Callista said. Dojo was stumped; she had a point.

"Well, what would Master Monk Guan say?"

"He's a master monk now?" Callista asked, her cheeky little girl glimmer in her eyes returning just for a second as she tried not to burst out laughing. Dojo glared.

"Well," He pushed. "What would he say?"

"Guan would say it's a stupid idea." Callista said sadly after some thought. "Before the soup incident, he'd be with me. After Chase had the soup, Guan would tell me to stay away."

"Precisely." Dojo nodded. "And what is Chase Young going to say when he sees you?"

"Calli?" Callista replied, using a low voice as if imitating your stereo typical man, yet sounding nothing like Chase at all. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you looking for anyway?" Dojo asked her. "The monks can help, I'm sure. Just don't go in there. The Chase you knew no longer exists, Calli."

"He's the only one Dashi told where this potion I need is." Callista told Dojo. "And I _really_ need this potion, Dojo."

"How much?" Dojo asked. "Does your life depend on it?"

"You could say that. Maybe not in the way you're expecting..."

"Dojo!" Raimundo shouted across the lava. "Are you coming back or what?"

"Coming!" Dojo called back. He looked to Callista again. "Are you coming?"

"Across? To see Chase?"

Dojo nodded and Callista climbed onboard. _Please let him recognise me_ she silently prayed _and please don't let him hate me_...


	7. Chapter 7

**Chase! Yay!**

**If I was to maybe write a prequel to this (like a sequel, but backwards in time rather than forwards) which was set 1500 years ago, when Chase was good and Dashi was alive etc. Would you guys be interested? You've gotta say because if no-one likes the idea then I will still write it (I've got it all planned, no point putting all that to waste!) it will just stay on my memory stick FOREVER! And not be uploaded on here. So, do we like that plan? Let me know please!**

Chapter Seven

Raimundo was already trying to find the right rock to press in order to open the door when Dojo landed, Callista on his back.

The moment Callista was off his back, Dojo turned into his small form and sat on her shoulders, teeth chattering. Callista rolled her eyes and gave a reassuring smile to Raimundo, who had been watching them with his hand poised over the correct block. One nod of her head, and he pressed it.

The doors opened to reveal the large, magnificent room Chase had decided to put right by the door. Chase Young was up on the balcony, talking to some of his big cats. The intruders could wait; he was busy. Wuya stood by his side.

"Raimundo," Wuya said. "What are you doing here all alone?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not alone." Rai pointed out. Wuya looked to the black-haired girl behind him, the one with the tattered and torn dress and the sparkling green eyes.

Seeing Chase and Wuya, seeing the large room and the big cats surrounding her, was just too much. Callista fell on to her knees, put her head down so her hair hid her eyes, and tried to pretend it wasn't there. Tried to imagine things as they used to be.

"A new face!" Wuya said. She squinted a little, her brain finally the registering the familiarity of the girl. "Do I know you? What's your name?"

Callista didn't reply. She'd had some... not too good experiences with Wuya in the past.

"Callista," Raimundo answered for her. "Her name's Callista."

Chase visibly tensed a little before looking away from his cats and over at the girl who'd intruded into his base.

"Calli?" He said, not believing it for a second. "What are you doing here?"

"I told you, Dojo." Callista whispered quietly to the dragon wrapped round her neck before standing up. She let her long, matted black hair stay over her face, but her green eyes shone through despite the hair covering them. They were far too bright to be hidden so easily.

"Yeah, yeah." Dojo whispered back. "Just get this over with!"

"Callista?" Wuya realised. "But you... You should've died!"

"The tree spirit knew I liked to escape." Callista explained. "She knew I liked to hide away from the trouble. So she didn't kill me. It was far, far worse."

A couple of hundred years ago, the memory would've made her tear up, but now she had come to terms with things. That by no means meant she liked it, and she spent her days still searching for the one potion that could cure her curse, but she no longer cried for herself, pitied herself.

"Even if you weren't killed," Wuya said. "You should've died, shouldn't you? Of old age or something?"

"That's the point." Callista explained sadly. "I can't die!"

"And that's bad because...?" Raimundo asked her. "Wouldn't that just make it impossible for enemies to kill you?"

"You don't understand." Callista insisted. "One of my dearest friends has died. My brother has died. My puppy has died. My niece died. I raised her baby daughter, but she grew up and died too. And her son died. And his. It just goes on and on and on. I'm the last member of my family left now, and I don't like it."

Finally, Raimundo was beginning to understand this strange woman a little more. She was over 1500 years old, she knew Chase, Dojo and Wuya, and she was immortal too. The difference between her and the others was that she didn't want to live forever; she saw it as a curse.

"She knew I liked to run." Callista continued. Now she was tearing up. It was her instinct to hide from things that scared her, not to fight them when she knew she couldn't. She'd always been a lost, lonely little girl. "So she gave me something I couldn't run from. And that's only half of it."

Sensing something big was coming, Dojo quickly slid down her body and on to the floor, right a little and then down Raimundo's shirt, peeking up a little over the edge below the boy's neck.

The door was still open, the setting sun slowly sinking over the mountains in the distance.

"What's going..." Chase began, but Callista interrupted.

"Shh..." She said softly, hushing the room into silence. Even Chase's big cats stopped growling and shuffling. All was silent, all was still, all was peaceful.

"You will see."

The remaining three monks, Omi Clay and Kimiko, had been training that morning and been given the afternoon off. Kimiko was busy playing Goo Zombies 7, Omi watching over her shoulder, whilst Clay just sat with them under the tree, not knowing what else to do.

"I've been thinking." Kimiko began, switching her games console off and fiddling with it in her hands while she spoke. "The cat tracks that Rai and I saw, and then Omi last night, they only started once Callista got here."

"Right," Clay agreed. "An' she keeps comin' in to breakfast late."

"But I saw a big, black cat outside the vault!" Omi reminded them.

"Maybe Callista knows something about that then." Kimiko suggested. "It's worth looking in to."

They sat in silence for a moment, each thinking about the situation at hand, when Kimiko suddenly realised something.

"We let Dojo take Rai somewhere!"

"Yeah, we know." Clay told her.

"Dojo was afraid." Kimiko continued. "And generally it's villains who make Dojo afraid."

"He does not much like Wuya," Omi agreed. "And Hannibal Bean seemed to give him the sheebie heebies."

"Heebie jeebies." Clay corrected.

"But the one who scared him most was Chase Young." Kimiko pointed out. "He used to get all chattery and afraid at the mention of Chase when we first met the guy, remember? He might have taken Rai there!"

"Why would he..." Clay began, but Omi interrupted.

"Of course! If Dojo knew Callista from somewhere before, it is quite possible it was the Xiaolin temple from 1500 years ago!"

"She doesn't look 1500 years old." Clay said, reaching a hand under his hat to scratch his head.

"Neither does Chase," Kimiko pointed out. "We need to find Rai and Dojo; they could be in trouble!"

The three monks got up and ran to the vault, each grabbing some shen gong wu. Kimiko grabbed the star hannabi and her arrow sparrow. Clay took the fist of tebigong and his big bang meteorang. Omi took the orb of tornami, his shimo staff and also the silver manta ray.

They ran back outside again. Omi threw the silver manta ray into the air, saying its name as he did so. The three climbed aboard and flew towards Chase Young's lair, hoping they weren't too late to, if need be, save Rai and Dojo from Chase and Wuya.


	8. Chapter 8

**It's a short chapter, but it just would not work if I blended the next one into it. They just can't fit together into one chapter. Well, they could, but it wouldn't really flow so well. So we've got a short chapter and a middlish chapter next time, kay?**

Chapter Eight

"Nothing's happening!" Wuya complained. "Why? Why isn't anything happening?"

"Shh..." Callista said again. "It will."

And, sure enough, the moment the sun dipped over the mountains there was a blinding flash of white light. The source of the bright white light appeared to be Callista.

Raimundo covered his eyes with his arm, not wanting to be blinded by the sheer brightness of the sudden flash. Once the flash finished, he lowered his arm and opened his eyes.

Callista was nowhere to be seen. In her place was a black panther. The panther's fur was a shade of black darker than the darkest point of a Halloween night, its eyes were green and sparkling. They weren't wide and afraid, like when Omi saw them. They were serious, smart, and seemed to be saying 'this is what I meant'.

"Where'd she go?" Raimundo asked no-one in particular.

"Maybe the panther ate her." Dojo suggested.

"No," Chase replied. He came down the stairs and knelt down in front of the black panther. "She's still here." He concluded.

"Where?" Wuya asked, running down the stairs and standing by his side.

"Here." Chase said, still looking at the panther's eyes, at its face, trying to make sure he was right in his thinking. He was sure he was.

Finally, Wuya understood.

"Oh," She said, kneeling beside Chase and examining the creature's face. "Oh, I see."

"Can somebody please explain?" Raimundo asked.

The door flew open and the other three Xiaolin dragons ran in.

"Rai, thank goodness your okay!" Kimiko said, running over and giving him a relieved hug. "And Dojo, you too!" She didn't get a chance to hug Dojo because he ducked back down under Raimundo's top.

"Guys, you were supposed to stay at the temple." Raimundo told them, leader instinct kicking in and taking over momentarily from the part of him that was pleased to see them.

"We bring grave news," Omi told him. "We believe Callista is to do with the panther that has been in the temple at night."

"Speaking of Callista," Clay added, looking around him. "Where is she?"

"Well done, Omi." Chase said to the little monk, ignoring Clay's question. "Callista does indeed have something to do with the panther."

"Is she workin' for you?" Clay asked Chase, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes.

"No," Chase said, looking back at the panther which he still knelt beside and tickling it behind the ears. It growled and he stood up and slowly backed away; he knew this panther's anger all too well.

"Then where is..."

"She is the panther." Chase cut in. "Even Wuya sees it. She was cursed to live forever, a human by day and a panther by night. It all makes sense now!"

"Then what did she come here for?" Dojo asked, peeking out from inside Raimundo's top.

Chase Young shook his head. He didn't know. He had his suspicions, but he wasn't sure and didn't want to risk it.

"We'll ask her in the morning." He told them. "You should get back to the temple."

"You aren't going to fight us?" Raimundo asked, confused. Generally bad guys wanted a fight.

"You should get back." Chase told them. "I'll keep Calli here and make sure she doesn't run away." _She likes to run away and hide._ "Feel free to come back tomorrow."

The monks got back on board Dojo and left, after agreeing that they would come to see Callista tomorrow if they had chance.

"Calli," Chase said to the panther. "Get some sleep."

The panther glared at him, wondering why he suddenly decided to act all big brotherly. _It must be the old side of him kicking in_ she thought _Nice to know I still have some effect on him._

Callista went and curled up beside the now closed door and Chase, satisfied, went to bed.

Wuya sat by the pool for a while, swirling her hand in the cool clear water. On the way to her room, she went to look at the sleeping panther.

"You must have really annoyed that tree spirit." She told the sleeping panther gently. "A pretty girl like you, and a fearsome warrior too. You'd be a great accomplice..."

Then she too ran up the stairs and into one of the many rooms in order to get some sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Warning- Chapter contains mentions of suicide (just mentions though)**

**Chase might seem a little OCC here. That's because he sees Calli as... Well, a little sister would probably be the best way to describe it. Other than that, this chapter is probably one of my favourites :)**

**Oh, also there's a poll up on my profile about the prequel/sequel thing for this. It's a simple yes/no answer thing, shouldn't be too hard. So go check that out if you haven't already!**

Chapter Nine

Callista was awoken the next morning by a tiger nuzzling her foot gently. She didn't kick it away, however much her brain screamed at her to do so. She knew kicking would just make the creature angry, and so she slowly sat up.

The tiger looked up at her as she pulled her feet into her chest and hugged her legs close. The door was still closed, though she knew it must be light outside or else she would still be a panther.

The tiger lay down by her side and she reached out a hand, rested it on the creature's head. The tiger did nothing, and slowly Callista ran her hand down the tiger's neck and back. She kept on stroking it subconsciously, lost in her thoughts.

She pulled her hand away when she realised why she was stroking the tiger. He reminded her of Aquamarine, her puppy. The two had been inseparable, and she'd been Callista's world. But since she was immortal, Aquamarine had died hundreds of years ago and Callista had not.

How she hated this immortality. She wanted to die. She wanted this potion to help her to do it. There was nowhere to hide anymore, nowhere to go. She'd been looking for the past 1500 years. She had not thought she'd been welcome back at the temple after she ran away, and the new monks would have no need of her.

The tiger looked up at her, seemingly upset at the sudden lack of the hand that had been gently stroking him moments before.

Feeling her heart melt, just as she had when Aquamarine had done 'the look', Callista began stroking the tiger again. The tiger settled down into a comfortable position once again and Callista went back to her thoughts.

"I see you're awake." She heard someone say. Her head shot up, eyes wide, only to find Chase Young coming down the stairs and heading towards her.

"My cats say you were up and about around midnight." Chase told her, coming and standing by her where she sat on the floor. The tiger stood up and walked away, and Callista stood up too, though she didn't walk away.

In height, Chase was taller than Callista. He always had been. He was also older, stronger, braver. He was a lot of things she was not.

"Didn't I tell you to stay asleep?" He asked her sternly, a fierce, almost fire-like blaze seemingly dancing across his eyes. "To stay put?"

"Many times." Callista answered. She'd gotten a bit of her old spark back, a bit of her old flare. She was also, unlike most people, willing to tease the notoriously evil Chase Young just a little bit.

"You're braver than you once were." Chase said thoughtfully.

"And you're taller."

"Stop making fun of me!"

"Stop pointing out the obvious!"

They both looked at each other for a moment, trying to out-glare the other. It didn't work and Callista found herself bursting out into giggles. She hadn't laughed for a long time. Not since a little after she'd lost Aquamarine, when her niece had visited with her then baby daughter. But that was a long, long time ago.

Chase let the faintest trace of a smile show before taking Callista off to sit at the bottom of the stairs.

"What did you come for?" He asked her. "I hear nothing from you for 1500 years and then you just turn up one day. Why?"

"The Mortality Potion," Callista said. Instantly, Chase felt his heart sink. He knew what was coming, and were it anyone else he most likely would not care. Were it the Xiaolin dragons, he'd have one less person out of his hair. Were it Jack Spicer, see above. But Callista no longer had a side, she was still a lost, lonely little girl. He knew it. Big, wide eyes filled with fear, a carefree nature when you'd think she'd know better. She'd barely changed from the little girl who stumbled across the temple all those years ago, chasing her beloved puppy through the woods until she ended up falling over on to the hard, stone steps. Dashi had said they'd found their final dragon; she hadn't understood at the time, but it soon took hold. But she was just so fearful. At times when they were supposed to fight, when she was picked up by the scruff of the neck by some villain or another, she just took it. Eyes wide, tears pushing against the back, but she would not fight. Not unless they struck first.

"Calli," He said. "You don't always have to run and hide."

"I've been trying for the past 1500 years, Chase. There is nowhere else to go!"

"Maybe you should settle down, pick a side or set up a farm or something. Just don't keep running."

"I can't help myself." Callista turned her back to him, still sitting next to him on the stair. "It's instinct. Birds fly, fish swim, warriors fight, Callista hides. I can't help it, it just... happens."

She lowered her head, stared at her lap and allowed her hair to fall over her face. It was a little better, it made her feel a little safer when her hair covered her eyes. Just a little.

The tiger she'd been petting before made his way over to the bottom of the stairs and nuzzled her hand that sat fiddling with her other hand's fingers on her lap. Understanding what he wanted, Callista begun stroking him once again, never once lifting her head.

"Maybe you can find another way, Calli." Chase suggested. He thought for a moment. "You could be my apprentice."

"What about Wuya?" Callista asked him, looking up from her lap once again but letting her hair remain over her eyes a little.

"She's more annoying assistant than apprentice." Chase told her.

"Anyway, you're evil now. I don't work with bad guys."

"Liar!"

"Traitor!"

They both glared at each other again before Callista turned away and continued to stroke the tiger.

_He's taken a shine to Calli._ Chase thought, watching the tiger as he relaxed and Callista stroked his head. _She's a very powerful girl, she always was. We just need to show her..._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

That night, Callista lay by the door once again. Chase had started his meditation once again, and Callista was having trouble sleeping. She watched her tail flicking to and fro for a while before turning her gaze to the door. It wasn't as if it was going to open, but it was something to look at until she fell asleep.

Imagine her surprise when it did open.

Callista leapt up and ran behind Chase. She didn't know where else to go; she didn't know this place very well, and she just wanted to hide.

Chase opened one eye and looked round at her. Her green eyes were wide and, despite the fact that in panther form she could not say a word, he knew she was afraid.

He looked to the door to find Master Monk Guan standing there. Callista growled; she recognised him. His head may be bald, he may be taller, he may be older, but Callista would know him anywhere.

The two had always clashed. Guan had a fight attitude. He was happy to wake up early. He was kindly, and he was friendly to those who knew him. His personality clashed with Callista's, and it was because of this that the two never got along.

"Try to act like one of my cats." Chase told Callista quietly, barely moving his mouth to say the words. Calli gave one short, quick nod of the head and Chase stood up. He made his way over to greet the visitor, Callista following behind on wobbly legs.

"Master Monk Guan," Chase said. "What brings you here?"

"I hear you have a specific shen gong wu in your possession." Guan said, stepping into the cave and allowing the door to shut behind him. "The Chain of the Thunderstorms. I've come to retrieve it."

Callista looked down to her front left paw. Even in panther form, her signature wu was still on her wrist.

Chase, still playing along with the fact she was pretending to be his cat, began to stroke her. He tickled her behind the ears, and she gave him a look as if to say 'do that again and you will have one less hand'. Thankfully, he got the message and didn't do it again.

"Wu doesn't normally interest you, Guan." Chase said.

"Nor does it interest you, Chase." Guan pointed out. "It would be easier to keep away from Wuya if I had it or the Xiaolin dragons had it."

Callista by now had her teeth bared. Chase was holding her back, but they both knew if she wanted to make a spring for Guan's neck she could easily do so.

"You should learn to keep your cats under control." Guan told Chase, clearly amused at the fact Chase was having to hold what the Master Monk believed to be his own cat back.

"You should learn to keep your mouth closed." Chase snapped back. "Wuya, get down here!"

Wuya practically glided down the stairs; that's what being a spirit for so long does to your walking.

"Wuya, take Calli here somewhere safe." Chase told her. Wuya got a firm, though not painful, grip on Callista and began to lead her away.

"Calli?" Guan asked. "You named the cat Calli?"

As luck would have it, the sun peaked over the mountains at that point. Wuya's hand was quickly removed and the witch stepped back a little, knowing what was coming. A bright white light, and Callista was a human once more. She was back in her old, tattered and torn dress, hair matted and knotted.

"Callista?" Guan said in disbelief. Callista made an 'eep!' noise and ran behind Wuya. Wuya rolled her eyes.

"Guan, don't give her a hard time..." Chase began, but Guan interrupted.

"Callista, we needed you. Do you realise that?" Guan said, walking over to her. Callista was determined to stay behind Wuya, and Wuya was rather annoyed at being the girl's personal shield, yet knew the chances of Chase severely hurting her should she not shield Callista were high.

"After Dashi died," Guan continued. "After Chase drank that potion, I thought I was the only one left! I've been helping the monks a lot; I bet you've just been sitting and hiding, haven't you?"

Callista had grabbed Wuya's hand and was squeezing the life out of it. The witch had tried to pull it away, but somehow Calli always managed to take it back and Wuya figured there was no point in pulling it away again.

"Wuya," Chase said. "Maybe you and Calli could go have some girl time?" It wasn't a suggestion; it was an order, no matter how casual Chase was trying to make it sound. Wuya glared at him; how many times must she remind him girls weren't all like that? Still, her arm would no doubt turn purple if she stayed out here much longer. She slowly began to edge away, Calli following and all the while staying behind the red-head's back.

"What was she here for?" Guan asked Chase once the girls had gone. "I bet you knew she was alive the whole time, didn't you?"

"A few days," Chase said casually and calmly. "And no. I thought she'd died until she turned up with the Shoku warrior a few days ago."

"Does she still have the Chain of the Thunderstorm?" Guan asked.

"She might do."

"It is very important the shen gong wu. I cannot let it fall into the wrong hands." Guan said. "It would seem that your hands, you being an evil villain and all, are the wrong place to be."

"It's in Callista's hands." Chase said. "Not mine. Or Wuya's for that matter."

Eventually, after hours of sibling-like arguing, Master Monk Guan left. Chase rolled his eyes and headed off to bed.

This was proving to be a rather challenging assignment for Wuya to say the least. She was fairing pretty well, and she was determined to prove to Chase that she could do this. There had been a slight cheeky glint in his eye when he told her to take Callista. He knew she wouldn't cope with this task all too well. Getting shen gong wu? Easy. Fight off the Xiaolin dragons? Piece of cake. Look after a scared, afraid young woman? Not Wuya's thing.

She'd taken Callista to the pool room. She had always found it a calm, relaxing place to think. And anyway, it was very beautiful too.

She was sitting on one side of the fountain's polished marble, swirling her hand round in the water and not really looking Callista in the eyes. _Best to leave her to get over it herself_ Wuya decided _That always works for me_.

Callista had been biting her lip to keep herself from crying. It was now sore, but she was ignoring that. It had been sore when she done the same thing before; it wasn't a surprise to her.

She slid her bracelet from her wrist and held it in her hand, closely examining the storm-cloud shaped pendant hanging from the silver-white beaded chain. The pendant had the slightest tinge of green, and reminded her of too much. It reminded her of Aquamarine, of Dashi, of flying on Dojo's back to hide some wu, of Chase in his old blue robes, of Guan when he had hair. It reminded her of far too much, but she could handle it.

That was until she remembered what the pendant itself was of.

It was in a raging thunderstorm that she lost her parents. It was in that same storm that she and her brother ran after her beloved puppy into the woods. She stumbled too far away from him, she lost him too.

It was in a thunderstorm that she tripped over the temple steps, catching Aquamarine in the process. It was to shelter from the storm that Dashi had let her stay. It was during the storm, that first night whilst she slept in the hallway having not yet got a cubicle of her own, that they realised her elemental power and told her she could stay at the temple. She'd agreed, obviously.

It was during a storm that she'd got lost again, more than 1500 years later. She found her feet leading her towards the temple, towards the only familiar place she could think of to go. It had changed, but still the dragons and monks allowed her to stay. She was grateful, of course, but the pain of remembering hurt too much. It stung.

Unable to bare it any longer, Callista thrust her fist, still containing the wu, into the fountain. She let go and allowed it to sink the bottom. She knew full well that she'd only end up fishing it out again later, no doubt apologising to the inanimate object; that's just the way she was.

Wuya watched the Chain of the Thunderstorm sink and fought the urge to reach in and grab it. However, she could not and reached in, plucking it from the water and causing little drops to splash from its surface, a few of which landed on Callista's back.

Calli straightened up a little, shocked at the sudden coldness and wetness that had suddenly appeared on her back. However, she quickly recovered and looked to her right to see Wuya holding the bracelet in her hands.

"You can keep it if you like." Callista said absentmindedly. "It's too painful to look at right now." She cast her gaze back to the floor.

Wuya smiled smugly as she slipped the wu on to her wrist. It stung. It electrocuted her almost, seemed to be burning her skin. She ripped it off to inspect where it had been. There was a red ring around her wrist, burnt and sore.

"How did...?" She began, looking at her own sore wrist and then at Callista's petite, pale ones. Callista smiled a little, taking the bracelet back from Wuya and slipping it on without once looking at either the bracelet or its pendant.

"It'll do that." She said. "It's only suited to specific people."

Wuya found the thought, one that was now becoming an increasingly familiar thought to her mind, once again passing through her head once more; _What on Earth was Dashi thinking when he designed these things?_

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><p><strong>Aww, girly bonding time :) Well, as close as Wuya could get to girly bonding time anyway!<strong>


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

"Chase?"

He opened one eye, saw Callista standing in the doorway and decided to stop with the meditation for now.

Callista had evidently been biting her lip and, from the looks of things, at some point fallen over backwards into the pool. She had reached across her left hand was using it to fiddle with the bracelet on her right wrist.

He already knew what she was going to say before the words left her mouth

"You said you'd take me to the potion today."

Knowing he had no choice, knowing it was the way she wanted things to be, Chase agreed to take her there. He was a bad guy. Bad guys were supposed to lead people to their deaths, weren't they?

"Get Wuya." Chase told her. "She's coming too." Realising that meant she was going at last, Callista ran over and wrapped her arms round Chase.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She said gratefully.

"Three... Seconds..." Chase managed, finding it hard to even breathe let along speak.

"Oh, sorry." Callista said, letting go, stepping back and smiling before running off to get Wuya.

"Dojo?" Raimundo whispered, searching the temple for the little green dragon. After searching all the usual places, including down his shirt, he didn't know where else to look.

Upon hearing Clay walking past, whistling a tune to himself, Rai quickly sent a gust of wind which knocked the cowboy's hat flying.

"That was a mighty fine gust of..." Clay's eyes rested upon Raimundo. "Rai!"

The Shoku warrior bent down and picked Clay's hat up off the ground, Dojo curled up in the back.

"Yo!" He whispered harshly. "Dragon dude!" Dojo's eyes snapped open.

"I have a name!" He said.

"And I need to know something!"

Kimiko peeked around the cherry tree. She had been sitting there playing goo zombies 8 when she'd heard Clay, Dojo and Raimundo and had decided to listen in on the three.

"So I think Chase is going to do some horrid to her!" Rai concluded. "And, as Xiaolin dragons, blah blah blah, we've gotta go save her!"

Upon hearing this, Kimiko temporarily forgot that she had been hiding and by the time she remembered it was too late; she'd blown her cover by stepping out from behind the tree and saying

"If you're visiting Chase, I'm coming too."

Rai thought about it before nodding his head.

"Clay, go get Omi." The cowboy did so as the dragons of wind and fire climbed on to a now enlarged Dojo.

Upon a cliff, towering over a large, sparkling river seemingly hundreds of feet below, stood three figures. One was a tall, muscular young man with long black hair and cat-like yellow eyes. To his left stood a thin, red-haired woman with fierce green eyes. To his right stood a skinny, pale young woman with tangled, knotted black hair and excited green eyes.

"Do you think I'll see Aqua?" Callista asked Chase and Wuya excitedly. "Do you think my niece will be waiting with her children? Oh! Do you think I'll see Dashi?"

"If you do see Dashi," Wuya told Calli. "Then tell him I'm not sorry for what I did to his suit. He shouldn't fight in such fine clothes anyway."

Callista clearly looked confused, but Chase just chuckled a little.

"I doubt he'll _still_ be mad about that, Wuya." He told her. "It was 1500 years ago!"

"As were most things, it seems." Callista said thoughtfully.

Chase lifted a rock and tapped the bottom gently. It fell open, revealing a hidden compartment which he reached into. He pulled out a bottle, which was crystal-clear and half-full with a blue-green liquid.

Chase looked to Callista, who was now sitting dangling her legs over the cliff and looking at the calm blue river below. Wuya was standing behind her, looking down at the river too. However, it was not the river that had got the witch's attention.

"Chase," She said, turning around to face said villain. "The Xiaolin dragons are coming!"

Dojo landed atop the cliff and the four dragons hopped off.

"friends!" Callista said happily, jumping up to her feet in a crouch and then standing up without coming close to falling off the cliff.

"Hello, Callista." Omi greeted back as the woman proceeded to hug each and every monk in turn before ripping Clay's hat off and hugging the squirming dragon beneath.

"You filthy lizard," Clay said to Chase warningly. "Don't think you can just kill an innocent lady."

"Clay," Callista said quickly. "It was my idea."

She explained how all she loved, how her family and her friends, had all passed away. She explained of how she loved to hide. She explained the tree spirit's curse, which made sure she lived through everything. She explained how at night her panther form would run to the woods or the caves to hide. She explained how she no longer wanted to live, how it was just too much for her to handle.

"I want to die." She said a little sadly.

Despite this, all four monks didn't particularly like the idea of her going ahead with her plan. They didn't want her to die; she was their friend.

Chase had mixed feelings on the matter, which was annoying him. He liked to have things set and planned. Calli wanted to die and bad guys were supposed to want this sort of thing to happen. They were supposed to like killing and causing suffering, and Chase Young's heart was a very dark place. However, Calli was a friend, a link to his past. He wasn't sure he wanted it taken away like all the other links.

Wuya was growing impatient. Part of her was growing bored of waiting; she just wanted this over with. She also, partly, didn't want Callista to die. It had been nice to have another girl around the place for a few days. Katnappe didn't count; she was too naggy and girly. Wuya had, though she'd never admit to it, secretly enjoyed Callista's company. Which may have been what sparked her to do what she did...

Chase was just handing the potion to Callista, who was just reaching out to grab it, when Wuya snatched it from his hand.

Before anyone had a chance to act, Wuya threw the bottle off the cliff and let it plunge into the water below.

"What did you do that for?" Chase asked her, not angrily but curiously.

"I... Don't know." Wuya admitted weakly. Feeling eyes burning on her as four monks, a dragon, Chase Young and an immortal woman stared at her intently, Wuya decided it was best to go wait for Chase outside his base's door.

"See you soon!" She said, not able to get away quick enough.

"Sorry, Calli." Kimiko said, stepping over to put her arm around the woman. "I know it's what you wanted most."

Callista pushed her dark hair away from her face, behind her ears, and smiled.

"Destiny works in funny ways." She said brightly. Kimiko pulled her arm away and smiled at the woman; Callista had an incredibly contagious smile. Raimundo, Clay and Omi found themselves smiling too, and even Dojo couldn't escape the grin he could feel spreading across his green face.

Callista turned to her side. She could've sworn Chase was smiling a little too. She looked back to the Xiaolin dragons, just for a moment, but he was gone by the time she looked back again.


	12. Chapter 12

Epilogue

-Two Months later-

Life went back to normal fairly quickly.

The dragons went back to their daily training and their quests for shen gong wu.

Wuya found a way to break the panther half of Callista's curse (the tree spirit had been in a rush to complete the curse in her anger, and that half was poorly done, thus easy to break.), but the immortality remained unstoppable. Callista had just said something about 'Destiny's choice' and had left.

Chase had gone back to monitoring the monks intently, Wuya assisting by his side all the while.

Intent to see the world again, but not through afraid and constantly fearful eyes, Callista left her newfound friends' company and set out to see the world as it now was. Not how it was 1500 years ago, but what it had become.

She was aware of the falcon following her, of it's yellow cat-like eyes that watched her every move.

It comforted her to know someone cared enough to follow her every move across the world.

Which was, of course, the intent.

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><p><strong>Finished- I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not! So, any feedback on this would be great. Anything so long as it's not a flame- any improvements or anything you really liked, it would be great if you could let me know!<strong>


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